Somebody has it in for Itay Hod. But who? As you’ll recall, Hod is the respected journalist who essentially outed Republican Rep. Aaron Schock, he of the gay wardrobe, impeccable pecs and antigay voting record. Clearly, someone wants to stir up some professional trouble for Hod because of Schock’s outing.
When Hod first took aim at Schock in January, there was some confusion about his affiliation with CBS. (Hod hadn’t updated his LinkedIn profile, which should have noted that his affiliation with the network had ended two years earlier.) At that time, someone using the Gmail handle “D Walker” sent media outlets a complaint about Hod.
“Gawker and the blog Queerty are publishing articles that identify Itay Hod as a CBS News anchor/reporter,” Walker griped. “This identification with CBS News is adding credibility to a story on Congressman Aaron Schock being gay — that includes unsubstantiated and journalistically-irresponsible allegations.”
(Actually, including 19-year-old Olympic diver Tom Daley as one of only 71 people that Schock followed on Instagram added a lot more credibility to the story than Hod’s credentials.)
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The dust died down in the intervening months, but last Friday, Hod published a piece on CBS.com about the AIDS Lifecycle fundraising ride. Within an hour of its publication, the very same D Walker with the same email address emerged to send another missive to media outlets, including Queerty, demanding to know if Hod was working for CBS again.
Now, only Hod’s mother would probably follow his career moves this closely, and she probably wouldn’t be relying upon the help of a Google Alert. Interestingly, Walker again cited Schock as the impetus for his email.
“After Mr. Hod outed Congressman Aaron Schock, you issued a statement that, even thought he identified himself on his Linkedin profile as a “CBS News anchor/reporter”, that he didn’t work for CBS News,” Walker said in his email. “Has that changed?”
The email sparked another response from CBS, with the network producing a statement over the weekend letting Walker–and Queerty–know that Hod was simply delivering a freelance assignment on a totally unrelated topic (unless the Congressman participated in the AIDS Lifecyle, which we doubt). The larger chilling effect, of course, was to put both Hod and the network on notice that their actions are being watched.
And why is CBS so eager to please this apparently anonymous source by issuing a statement distancing itself from Hod on a Saturday morning, when most journalists are sleeping in?
Now you may well ask yourself, who would be this interested in trying to put Hod on the spot? Queerty emailed Walker, who does not sign his emails, to ask who he (or she) is and why he is dogging Hod like a modern-day Inspector Javert. Walker never responded. Apparently, he prefers to cause problems anonymously instead of being forthright about his motives.
Walker has made the story one about Hod’s career, knowing full well how a skittish network will respond to his questions. The accusation took center stage. The much more interesting story is the accuser. Who is Walker that he’s so keen on tracking (and trashing) Hod?
There are really only two possible explanations for the emails. One is that Walker despises outing as a violation of journalistic principles and wants Hod to be banned for life from any reputable outlet. Of course, it’s hard to imagine someone quite so driven by love of the profession to follow Hod so obsessively for the sole aim of making mischief.
The second explanation is that it’s one of Schock’s supporters, which is a phrase you can interpret however you see fit. After all, Walker does make a point of making Schock’s outing the point of his emails, and who would have the greatest stake in revisiting that complaint? Someone with ties to the Congressman might be perfectly happy to play dirty tricks as a kind of revenge for the embarrassment the outing caused Schock.
Walker’s ham-fisted efforts don’t help Schock any. He managed to put the outing behind him (in a manner of speaking) by refusing to address it and by deleting his Instagram account. (The account, and Schock’s abs, are back.)
Making trouble for Hod only brings the story back to life. It’s also a reminder that trying to put journalists on the defensive is the type of political hardball played when the stakes are high and personal.
So what are the stakes in this case? You can probably figure that out on your own.
Nowuvedoneit
Maybe because it’s kinda of Schocks business to come out or not, not Itay’s. I don’t care about him being in the closet it’s his voting record and the only way to solve that is to have his constituents vote him out of office.
Tackle
The wording in this post is a bit off. So it basically say that a gay journalist (Hod) who outed Aaron Schock , is being shut down by someone. Ok,,, but how do we really know that Aaron is in fact gay?And if hhe’s not gay, then obviously he cannot be outed as being gay. Maybe he is gay, maybe not. We cannot say for sure, either way. But I don’t understand this obsession, need and desire for this guy to be gay.
Nowuvedoneit
@Tackle: I’m not Republican, and I don’t endorse his policies but it just seems like a witch hunt. Outing people who don’t want to be out is not anyone’s decision to make but theirs. Take him at his policies or his stupid Wheaties box but enough with is he is gay or not. Can other people start to question a gay politicians motives on new laws just because they are gay?
OrchidIslander
Some nebulous friend of Hod’s caught Schlock and his roommate in the shower. Where is the definitive proof? Ditto the alledged TMZ tapes. Hard to believe TMZ would not go big-time public if they possessed video of Schlock trawling for dick at gay bars.
There’s been copious amounts of obsession and conjecture about Schock, mostly originating from gay “journalists” and gay blogs. On the other hand, actual proof and unassailable facts have been decidedly lacking.
Hod has hardly outed Schlock. If unsubstantiaed rumors and reliance on unnamed third parties pass Mr. Hod’s test of journalistic intergrity, then it is small wonder that he is no longer “affiliated” with CBS. Let’s not forget that his “bombshell” about Schlock’s closeted state was posted on Facebook, hardly the plane of journalistic excellence.
Queerty and gay “journalists” ought to give their Schlock habit a break until undeniable facts and not gossip or innuendo present themselves.
James Hart
Italy Hod is a “respected journalist.” Who respects him? Respected journalists do not go to their Facebook page to out public figures without naming, publicly, at least two sources for his claim, which he did not do. Question: Name one other “respected journalist” who has done what Mr. Hod has done? The answer is: NONE!!! That’s NOT good journalism, as any truly respected journalism professor will tell you. He shouldn’t be working for CBS because he has discredited himself as a journalist. Maybe Aaron Schock should sue him for libel and defamation. By the way, I’m a Democrat, but I also believe in fair play. Maybe Schock is a very devout Christian who opposes gay marriage for religious reasons. He may also be voting the way the people who voted for him want him to vote. Is that at all remotely possible? Yes.
cflekken
The actions of “D Walker” are more a confirmation of Schock’s outing than Hod’s.
Milk
There’s only one reason to force someone out of the closet. The said person who advocate policies against the gays! Remember Ken Mehlman? There are lot of these assholes working in politics. If we have to drag them out kicking and screaming and expose them to the world to see the damage they done to millions of people who get kill, suicide, beaten, abused and bullied more power to us.
MCHG
@Milk: someone’s right to privacy does not end when they disagree with you. you’re setting a very dangerous precedent, making it okay to essentially blackmail a politician when you find their choices morally objectionable. I find it hilarious when people suggest that politicians are responsible for kids killing themselves, knowing damn well none of those suicidal gay kids know, or care, who Schock is. hold the bullies responsible for what they do and stop trying to tell grown men who are democraticlly elected into office what values they can espouse. get up abd vote if it matters to you so much.
Milk
@MCHG: We’ll just have to pick what kind of danger we can live with.
Milk
No one get to make a living as a bigot and enjoy all the azz f*****g behind close door.
SavageBoy79
Whats wrong with outing somebody that’s harming their own people No different than Clarence Thomas both are indespicable and should not have any power to decide upon anything if they cannot represent the truth because they are only out for power and acceptance in the big boy white many club. Kudos to Itay Hod. If you don’t want to be called a spade don’t be one as you kiss your way to power and decisiveness for the American constituents who believe their electing people into positions of power based upon morays to find its all under false pretense.
vive
@nowuvedoneit, once a closeted politician supports anti-gay causes (such as the GOP platform) it becomes legitimate to out them.
Gothrykke
Oh, come off it, Schock, no one doubts it’s you and your boyfriend sending those emails. Sister girl is just another closet case trying to harm the community while putting an extra deadbolt on the glass door.
Personally, I think this attack only gives Hod more credence as a journalist. And to hell with CBS. They’re as bad as the NY Post.
LubbockGayMale
What’s the kerfuffle here? CBS News Division is capable of defending any questions about propriety of stories on their sites, and Queerty should ignore this story. Or do some investigation and positively ID Walker; I admit it would be curious if Schock was using the alias, but otherwise, who cares?
odawg
Aaron Schock is a self-hating, closet case who uses his elected position to oppose progress. He has already received enough attention. Moving on!
odawg
@Milk: LOL! Well said!
odawg
@James Hart: Yawn!
DarkZephyr
@James Hart: “Maybe Schock is a very devout Christian who opposes gay marriage for religious reasons.”
You say that like this somehow makes it ok.
gjg64
Did anyone notice that Walker stated “After Mr. Hod outed Congressman Aaron Schock…. If he were saying Schock were not gay he’d have qualified that….you can’t out a straight man. So, in defending Schock Walker just confirmed it.
As far as outing a politician who is anti-gay……to paraphrase Dan Savage…..Out the Mother Fucker. Everyone here in Illinois knows that there are a few gay Republicans (Sen. Kirk, former Gov. Thompson) but they were never anti-gay like little Aaron.
bry5n
“d walker” – confirming that where there’s smoke, there’s flame.
hotboyvb81
if you’re gay and you vote against gay rights- you deserve to be outed, period!
jar
@James Hart: That’s an interesting thought you’ve got there- maybe Schock should sue him for libel and defamation! What exactly is libelous about being called gay? Has your slip shown here, James? And, as a point of clarification, libel is a form of defamation; defamation is not a separate claim.
Chris
So Sch(l)ock, who claims to be straight, is not. Check.
And Hod, who claims to be affiliated with CBS, is not. Check.
Regardless the motivation, they’re called facts. And if you don’t want your credibility to be questioned, then don’t deny, inflate, spin, damage or otherwise twist the facts.
ChgoReason
I read this column twice, and I still don’t get it. What happened? I kind of get that it is considered opinion, but the article itself is pretty shortcoming. So, I ask again, What happened?
WhyteRabbit
@MCHG: LMAO!!! we live in a world where everyone ***NEEDS*** to know everything, and you think finding out who someone who runs for and wins a public office is sleeping with is an out of the ordinary occurrence?
what i want to know is if those first few commenters here comment on anything other than schock or itay articles…. hmmm….
sportyguy1983
It take a real douchebag to out someone for any reason.
MCHG
@WhyteRabbit: the desire of a few toxic queens with boundary issues to know who sleeps with who is not a legitimate reason to passively accept the invasion of someone’s privacy. there’s only one way to get shock out of office, and that’s by voting him out. if you want to start McCarthy style witch hunt then that’s on you, just know the implications. with every passing generation, closeted politicians are getting better at hiding. the next Schock is going to be just as self loathing, just a hell of a lot more aggressive due to the fact that they have to try 10x as hard to staycloseted.
BigWoody
I find “D Walker” a curious nom de plume.
Woody Harrelson starred in a 2007 movie called “The Walker”.
Wikipedia describes the role as “a middle-aged gay man in Washington, D. C., is a “walker”, a single man who escorts other men’s wives to social events so the husbands do not have to”. One of the Walker’s clients is the wife of a U.S. Senator.
D Walker / The Walker, Hmm…
(snicker)
felixelcat
@MCHG: Don’t worry about that. We’ll become better at outing also.
seaguy
Probably some creepy closet case who is in love with Schock and is doing this to “protect him”.
jaack
Politicians who are closeted GAY but VOCALLY anti-gay are hypocrites. They say what gets them elected but will keep me from getting married, or remain in military till recently. These elected officials represent only PART of their constituents. LGBT constituents are EXCLUDED
We LGBT constituents still are denied full citizenship benefits and responsibilities. Mr. Aaron Schook should remember to old saying, “To thine own self be TRUE”
BJ McFrisky
Aaron Schock is being targeted as a closet homo for one reason and one reason only: He’s hot. There are hundreds of anti-gay marriage legislators out there, but you target the only one whose pants you want in. This witch-hunt by the gay community speaks volumes of our integrity.
Milk
@BJ McFrisky: If you do some research, anti-gay legislators gay or otherwise are consistently identified and reported on by many media and sites. That’s how they lose in the public opinion polls and election. By exposure of their hypocrisy. You don’t have to go out to find those articles, just search beyond your perimeter of web surfing habit.
james_in_cambridge
@BJ McFrisky: It’s probably you defending Schock under those idiotic pseudonyms up above. Right-wing troll.
ait10101
Pictures! I want pictures!
vive
@ait10101, well, some might say the pictures Schock himself has been posting over the years are self-explanatory 🙂
Lvng1tor
@MCHG: Pesky faggots always trying to stand up for them selves….Would it matter if the issue was interracial marriage and Schock secretly had a black girlfriend? Yet he still voted to keep black Americans down and restrict marriage rights.
If Schock were really too worried or able to sue he would have by now. I don’t think this is anything more than an annoyance to him. He’s far too certain of himself to think he’ll ever be discredited this way. Ya kind of have to be that way in American politics.
As for the above story it’s much ado about nothing…look at all of us who comment on many websites each day on a variety of topics but tend to really watch certain stories we feel are important.
@Milk: great responses
And once again guys…don’t respond to the trolls and we all know BjMcwhatit is a freakn troll
@MCHG: Toxic Queens the way you think are the ones who got your ass (if you are even gay) the rights you have.
lcandela123
@Nowuvedoneit: and what planet do you come from?
topshelf
Can we just leave Schock alone? I am not his friend. You are not his friends. He has no obligation to come out until if and when he is ready. Even when he does, he’s not obligated to make it a public thing. If he’s gay or bi, good for him. Let’s move on.
Nowuvedoneit
@lcandela123: The sane one, where you can vote people out if they don’t agree with your political views.
Nowuvedoneit
@Lvng1tor: You don’t like his policies then vote the guy out or get an opponent that can run a successful campaign against him. His supposed internalized homophobia is not something new if that is proven to be true, there are many gays who are in office who go against their own self interest. If he comes out or not it’s still not going to stop him from sponsoring bills that aren’t liked, so why this attention on him or pressuring him to come out? Did you get pressured to come out, because you staying in the closet was hurting homosexuals?
Would anyone like the constant clamoring of individuals to push you to come out before you were ready? This is not an endorsement of Schock’s policies or party it’s just stupid to pressure anyone on their journey for self acceptance to come out before they are ready if the allegations prove true of Mr. Schock’s.
MCHG
@Lvng1tor: Schock opposes gay marriage and gays in the military, yet he is neither gay married or a member of the military. your charges of hypocrisy fall short. the single most effective method of combating homophobia in the decades long struggle for gay rights has not been outing, which runs the risk of traumatizing young closeted gays into remaining closeted, but gay people coming out to friends and family. never once has someone cited outing as the reason for supporting gay rights. republican senator Rob Portman evolved on gay marriage, not when some of his colleagues were outed, but when his son came out to him. that’s powerful. outing always runs the risk of blowing up in the gay community’s face, like it has in recent years. it takes the Republican party standing behind just one congressman being outed and making the case against this egregious violation of privacy to make secretly gay republicans a non issue. Mike Rogers has already hinted that the GOP is dying for Schock to come out, which means he isn’t going anywhere in the near future.
james_in_cambridge
@Lvng1tor: Love your posts. Also, is BJMcDouche really a troll or a self-loathing right-wing homo who hates himself, us and the poor and working class and loves money and being abused by the far right? I think a lot of these right-wing sell-outs are in some kind of S&M relationship with the GOP and they very much enjoy being victimized by the lunatic right.
Cam
@Nowuvedoneit: said… “Maybe because it’s kinda of Schocks business to come out or not, not Itay’s.”
________________________
No, actually when Schock is supporting and advocating legislation that attacks the gay community and takes away Civil Rights, it is very much the LGBT communities business.
Since when did we go breathless in attempting to HELP somebody attack us? Sorry but this self hating homophobe doesn’t deserve any better treatment than was given to George Reckers when he was outed.
Nowuvedoneit
@Cam: it’s not breathless to allow people to come out on their own term as most if us have. I find it funny you keep glossing over the fact that Schock can be voted out of office. It is that simple done like his policies vote him out or get a poltician to run against him that endorses your views.
Nowuvedoneit
@Cam: Eric Cantor got voted out by his party for not being what they wanted, what’s stopping Schock from being voted out as well?
Cam
@Nowuvedoneit: said… “Eric Cantor got voted out by his party for not being what they wanted, what’s stopping Schock from being voted out as well?”
_________________________________
Ok, so I think I understand where your point is.
He harms the gay community and that isn’t a problem, you will defend and protect him. The people of his district are the ONLY people that can comment on him, even though he votes on legislation with national implications.
So here is where your B.S. attempts to shelter Schock break down.
1. He is directly attacking the gay community by supporting anti-gay legislation.
2. The people of his district may support anti-gay legislation and not vote him out for being a bigot or anti-gay.
3. You haven’t been able to defend ANY of his actions, your only point is simply, nobody should say anything bad about him. If he would like a job like that I suggest he goes back in time and arranges to be born into a private royal family, and not run for a publicly elected position.
Nowuvedoneit
@Cam: Omg I’m not defending his policies look over what I’ve said. You are latching onto whatever you want that fits your narrative. Your second point is his constituency, we’ll maybe there’s something that the activists can head over there and change their minds.
If you took time to read my several posts instead of hemming and hawing, you would see several times I do not endorse his policies. I have said it is his choice and journey to come out on his own if he is gay. Just as every gay person should be able to once they accept themselves.
Please read all the comments if you are going to try to rebuttal.
Cam
@Nowuvedoneit:
You can post anything you want, but once again, your premise, is that nobody can say anything about him because it’s “His journey”.
However even people against outting have stated that if it is a person who is attacking the community they are all for it.
Please explain why Schock can attack the entire community fight against any of our rights, but not only will you defend him, you will attack others for pointing these things out.
Whether or not he accepts himself is none of my business, unless he has decided to launch a direct assault on the millions of members of the LGBT community in this nation. Which he has. By saying he should be left alone you are condoning his actions. If he was trying to pass laws legalizing rape, would you also be attacking women’s groups who didn’t agree with that?
Lvng1tor
@james_in_cambridge: Thank you I appreciate you saying that.
As far as some of these trolls it doesn’t matter to me if they are self loathers or str8 haters on gays or actual living under a bridge storybook trolls…their only goal is to insult us, cause dissent and generally work against any type of real discussion/debate which is a waste of our time. They will whither and die without attn.
On the flip side..you have people posting like@Nowuvedoneit: @MCHG: and @Cam: All of whom I’ve agreed with and disagreed with on a variety of topics (well actually this is my first seeing MCHG but ?his? reply is well thought out…I still disagree but…)We can debate and have an actual discussion with maybe a lil snarky but keep it civil while stating our points. That’s what the comments are for and what I enjoy coming on here to do. BTW in this case I’m with Cam.
Nowuvedoneit
@Cam: I am not saying his actions as a politician can not be called out. They can and will be. You are the only one stating I said he can’t be attacked. It’s nice to know what I’ve said, didn’t know I was protecting him. Thanks Cam for letting me know what I’ve said. You might want to get some reading comprehension skills. It is not at all what I’m saying but alas I can’t make you see what you don’t want to see.
Cam
@Nowuvedoneit:
You keep saying that you did not say what you said, you have stated among others “so why this attention on him or pressuring him to come out? Did you get pressured to come out, because you staying in the closet was hurting homosexuals?
Would anyone like the constant clamoring of individuals to push you to come out before you were ready? ”
__________________________
And then jumped on people for pointing that out. Again, you came after people for “Outing” him, and have spent multiple postings here defending him, but refused to explain your reasoning when I pointed out quite clearly that even people who don’t like outing say that it is fine when the person being outted is attacking the gay community.
Schock has attacked the gay community, you have attacked people on here for outting him and defended his staying in the closet. If you do not like having your statements boiled down to this, then fine, rather than jumping on me, point out exactly where I am am wrong. Point out that you AREN’T opposed to outting somebody attacking the gay community etc…
Basically if somebody is attacking millions of people for being gay the LAST concern I have is whether or not he feels comfortable coming out.
Nowuvedoneit
@Cam: actually I have said I’m against outing people who aren’t ready to come out. I haven’t attacked anyone that’s hyperbole. Disagreeing with someone on outing and believe me I agree with you that his policies are horrible are two different things.
Cam
@Nowuvedoneit:
Telling somebody to get some reading comprehension skills can be seen as an attack.
And again, why the huge amount of concern for his feelings when he has declared all out war on the civil rights of the gay community nation wide.
As an example of how Outing a bigot has helped the gay community let me point out George Reckers.
His writings against gays were THE foundation of NOM’s arguments in multiple anti-gay cases around the country. When he was outed His “Expert Testimony” was pulled from the Prop8 case as well as many others because he had been discredited. That is a direct benefit of outing.
Nowuvedoneit
@Cam: As someone who was outed before I was ready to be I can say it doesn’t feel good, having to answer questions about yourself from other people when you are just coming to grips is hard. And actually telling someone to go back and re read previous comments because it was never implied that I supported his policies is just a gentle nudge. I agree with a lot of your comments most of the time just not this once. *offers internet peace pipe.
Cam
@Nowuvedoneit:
I get what you are saying and that it is a more personal issue for you and I’m not saying that you are not right about an everyday person not wanting to come out.
I think where I am coming from on this is …. I would never leave my house intending to get into a fight or to hit somebody. But if I am with say a friend or a parent or by myself and somebody comes out with a baseball bat and is running at them I do not feel that there is any problem at all to jump in and prevent that from happening or at a minimum to defend ourselves.
Schocks policies in my eyes are the same as attacking the gay community with a baseball bat, except you heal after being hit with a bat, while getting your rights back is much more difficult.
If that mugger has attacked my parent or friend with that bat, my issue is, I don’t want to hear that it might be hard on them to be labeled a criminal or to be arrested. They have given up their right for me to be concerned with their feelings.
It’s that way for Schock. If he wants to be left alone, then it would be easy, don’t come at the LGBT community trying to crush our skulls with a baseball bat.
Nixter
@Cam: Right on, CAM. Everything you have written is dead right!! Thank you for posting what I did not say for myself!